Systems, methods, and vehicles providing adaptive window transparency for vehicle mode switching

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method of controlling adaptive window transparency includes calculating a buffer period having a start time and an end time. The method also includes adjusting transparency on a set of windows based on the start time of the buffer period and transferring control of the vehicle to the vehicle or driver based on the end time. In response to detecting an emergency, the method further includes removing all tinting on the set of windows. In another embodiment, a method of controlling adaptive window transparency includes calculating a buffer period based on a navigation route.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method to enhance situational awareness of a driver, the method comprising: operating a vehicle having an autonomous mode, a manual mode, and a set of windows;
 calculating, with a processor, a buffer period having a start time and an end time based on switching between the autonomous mode and the manual mode, and a transition rate that is a rate of transparency change to change a transparency of the set of windows from a first transparency state to a second transparency state over the buffer period; 
 adjusting the transparency on the set of windows according to the transition rate such that the transparency changes from the first transparency state to the second transparency state at the end time; 
 switching modes based on the end time; and 
 in response to detecting an emergency, removing all tinting on the windows. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 calculating further comprises a location determination device. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein:
 calculating, with a processor and a location determination device, further comprises a navigation route. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein:
 calculating, with a processor and a location determination device, further comprises a set of take-over scenarios. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , the method further comprising:
 sending a haptic notification to the driver before the end time. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , the method further comprising:
 sending an audio notification to the driver before the end time. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , the method further comprising:
 sending a visual notification to the driver before the end time. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 adjusting the transparency on the set of windows is based on a set of weather data. 
 
     
     
       9. A vehicle capable of enhancing situational awareness of a driver, the vehicle comprising:
 a set of windows capable of adjusting transparency; 
 a computer system affixed to the vehicle having:
 a communication path; 
 a window tinting module communicatively connected to the communication path; 
 an autonomous control module communicatively connected to the communication path having an autonomous mode and a manual mode; 
 an electronics control module communicatively connected to the communication path having:
 one or more processors communicatively connected to the electronics control module; 
 one or more memory modules communicatively connected to the electronics control module having a set of machine readable instructions and upon execution by the one or more processors, performing at least the following:
 operating the vehicle by the autonomous control module; 
 calculating, with the processor, a buffer period having a start time and an end time based on switching between the autonomous mode and the manual mode, and a transition rate that is a rate of transparency change to change a transparency of the set of windows from a first transparency state to a second transparency state over the buffer period; 
 adjusting transparency on the set of windows according to the transition rate such that the transparency changes from the first transparency state to the second transparency state at the end time; 
 switching modes based on the end time; and 
 in response to detecting an emergency, removing all tinting on the windows. 
 
 
 
 
     
     
       10. The vehicle of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a location determination module communicatively connected to the communication path. 
 
     
     
       11. The vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the machine readable instructions further perform calculating, with a processor and 
 a location determination module, a buffer period based on location data of the vehicle. 
 
     
     
       12. The vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the machine readable instruction of calculating, with a processor and a location determination device, further comprises a navigation route. 
 
     
     
       13. The vehicle of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the machine readable instructions further perform calculating, with a processor and a location determination device, a buffer period based on the navigation route. 
 
     
     
       14. The vehicle of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a notification module communicatively connected to the communication path. 
 
     
     
       15. The vehicle of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the machine readable instructions further perform sending a haptic notification to the driver before the end time. 
 
     
     
       16. The vehicle of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the machine readable instructions further perform sending an audio notification to the driver before the end time. 
 
     
     
       17. The vehicle of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the machine readable instructions further perform sending a visual notification to the driver before the end time. 
 
     
     
       18. The vehicle of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a wireless communication module communicatively connected to the communication path; 
 an external network communicatively connected to the wireless communication module; and 
 an external server communicatively connected to the wireless communication module. 
 
     
     
       19. The vehicle of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the machine readable instruction of adjusting the transparency on the set of windows is based on a set of weather data.